Residents of Manitou Springs and surrounding areas were on alert Wednesday morning as rain swelled creeks in the area and created a risk of flooding.

U.S. 24 west of Colorado Springs was closed in both directions at 8:28 a.m. from Cascade to the Cave of the Winds, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The Colorado State Patrol reported the road re-opened about 11 a.m.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning until 12:30 p.m., but it was lifted about 11 a.m. A flash flood watch remains in effect until 9 p.m.

Rain fell in the Waldo Canyon fire scar area Wednesday morning and in surrounding areas, according to the weather service.

Manitou Creek ran high and fast and the water was brown with fire scar sediment, said Marcy Morrison, who heads the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Warning sirens blared in Manitou Springs a couple of times Wednesday morning, Morrison said, and businesses and residents in the area received a warning call from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office about possible flooding.

“There’s been some pretty heavy rain,” Morrison said. “But everything seems to be OK so far.”

Minor flooding occurred Wednesday morning along U.S. 24 near Cascade and rain runoff sediment flowed into a culvert at Waldo Canyon along the highway.

“The Waldo Canyon burn scar is becoming completely saturated and any additional rain is going to runoff rapidly,” the weather service said.

One rain gauge in the burn area recorded 1.10 inches of new rain. About an inch of rain fell at the Upper Williams Canyon weather station above Manitou Springs, causing high water flows downstream.

Kieran Nicholson covers breaking news for The Denver Post. He started at the Post in 1986, at the old building on 15th and California streets. Nicholson has covered a variety of beats including suburbs, courts, crime and general assignment.

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